Fastening system for supporting and stabilizing a sheet metal structure



A. o. JANSSON ETAL 3,31 ,983 FASTENING SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING AND v STABILIZ ING April 11,1967

A SHEET METAL STRUCTURE Filed Nov.

Invniors.

5211412? 1". Shears flrmld 0. Jansson, 319W 6?.0 mt? United States Patent ()fifice 3,312,983 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 3,312,983 FASTENING SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING AND STABILIZHNG A SHEET IVETAL STRUCTURE Arnold 0. Jansson, Arlington, and Stuart T. Shears, Bel-' mont, Mass., assignors to United-Carr Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 506,033 Claims. (Cl. 4187) This invention relates to an improved fastening system for securing and stabilizing a sheet metal structure which is supported by and is suspended from an adjacent support.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, easily installed fastening system for securing and stabilizing a sheet metal structure.

Another object is to provide a fastening system for securing and stabilizing a sheet metal structure wherein the male fastener component of the system it attached to the sheet metal structure without perforation of the structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved fastening system for securing and stabilizing a sheet metal sink or washstand which is supported by an adjacent countertop.

Other objects and advantages of the novel fastening system will become evident from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with a viewing of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an installation depicting a sheet metal sink or washstand supported by a surrounding countertop;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the female bracket shown in FIG. 2.

The novel fastening system comprises a plurality of small male stud members 1 which are fusedly attached by welding or some other means to the exterior peripheral surface of the sheet metal structure 2, as illustrated the outside surface of a metal sink, and a plurality of female brackets 3 adapted to secure and stabilize the sink which is suspended from and supported by the surrounding countertop 4.

Each of the studs 1 includes a shank 5 and a generally circular head 6. The shank 5 is secured to the sink body 7 at its end opposite the head 6 without perforation of the sink body 7 such that the head is spaced from but lies close to the body with the undersurface 8 of the head facing inwardly towards the exterior surface of the sink.

Each of the brackets 3 includes a generally flat base portion 9, an upwardly embossed central portion 18 having a transverse, elongated stud-receiving slot 10, a studlocking spring finger 11, a support (countertop) engaging portion 12 offset from and extending generally normally away from the base, a portion 13 extending upwardly from the offset portion 12 in spaced, generally parallel relationship to the base, and a resilient, inverted U-shaped portion 14 connecting the portion 13 to the base 9. The slot includes an enlarged circular portion 15 having a diameter slightly greater than the stud head 6, and a narrower extension 16 having a width slightly greater than the stud shank 5 and less than the head 6. As is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the locking spring finger 11 extends upwardly from one end of the base 9 and overlies the circular portion 15 of the slot 10.

The attachment of the bracket 3 to the stud 1 is accomplished by passing the stud head 6 through the enlarged opening 15 and thereafter sliding the bracket downwardly until the shank 5 seats in the narrow portion 1 6 of the slot 10. As the head 6 passes through the opening 15, the free end of the locking finger 11 is deflected away from the base portion 9 and thereafter springs back to the position shown in FIG. 2 when the stud is fully seated in the narrow portion 16 of the slot. Further the base 9 is tensioned against the panel 7 by the pressure exerted on the embossed portion 18 by the undersurface 8 of the stud head 6. Thus the stud head 6 is prevented from accidentally becoming re-r egistered with the circular opening 15 and the bracket 3 is effectively locked to the stud 1.

As is further observed in FIGS. 1 and '2 the upper portion of the sink 2 is provided with an outwardly extending peripheral flange 17. Thus to install the sink structure in the countertop the entire sink-fasteners combination is passed down through the opening provided in the countertop until the flange 17 engages the edge of the upper surface of the countertop whereupon the resilient support-engaging portion 12 of the bracket 3 is snapped under the lower surface ofthe countertop. Thus the sink is firmly secured and any lateral shifting or movement of the same is effectively prevented. It is furthermore quite obvious that the novel fastening system is particularly adapted for use with a sink or other liquidholding structure since the fasteners are secured Without the necessity of perforating the side walls of the structure. Further, one should appreciate that as many studs and brackets as are deemed necessary may be utilized at spaced intervals about the sheet metal structure.

While the embodiment of a sink or washstand has been utilized to illustrate a single application for the novel fastening system, it is to be understood that what has been disclosed is not to be interpreted in a limiting sense in that the scope of the invention is best defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fastening system for stabilizing a sheet metal structure which is supported by and suspended from an adjacent support wherein an extension of the sheet metal structure overlies the upper surface of the support and the body of the structure is spaced from the support comprising: a plurality of small studs each having a shank and a head and each being adapted to be secured to an external side surface of the sheet metal structure at the end of the shank remote from the head without perforation of the structure whereby the head of each stud will be spaced from but lie in close proximity to the external side surface of the structure with the undersurface of the head facing inwardly toward the side surface of the structure, and a plurality of resilient brackets adapted to engage the heads of each of the studs after the shank of each stud has been affixed to the structure, each of said brackets comprising a generally flat base portion, an upwardly embossed portion having a stud-receiving slot, said slot having a portion capable of receiving the head of the stud and a narrow portion connected thereto capable of receiving the shank of the stud when the bracket is moved laterally with respect to the stud whereby the head will overlie portions of said embossed portion adjacent the narrow portion of the slot, a studlocking spring finger extending upwardly from said base portion and overlying portions of said slot, said spring finger being defiectable away from the base portion responsive to the passage of the head of the stud through the slot and being positioned to return to its normal location to engage the stud head when the shank of the stud is seated in the narrow portion of the slot whereby said stud is prevented from becoming accidentally disengaged from the clip, and support-engaging means extending outwardly from the base portion capable of engaging the support to stabilize the sheet metal structure.

2. A fastening system according to claim 1 wherein said support-engaging means comprises an integral resilient band having a support-engaging portion offset from the base of the clip and extending away from said base and generally normal to said base, a portion extending.

from said offset portion generally parallel to said base, and an inverted U-shaped portion joining said parallel portion to said base.

3. A fastening system according to claim 1 wherein the major portion of said stud-locking spring finger is disposed in spaced, generally parallel relationship to the base portion of the clip.

4. A fastening system for stabilizing a sheet metal structure which is supported by and suspended from an adjacent support wherein an extension of the sheet metal structure overlies the upper surface of the support and the body of the structure is spaced from the support comprising: a plurality of small studs each having a shank and a head and each being adapted to be secured to an external side surface of the sheet metal structure at the end of the shank remote from the head without perforation of the structure whereby the head of each stud will be spaced from but lie in close proximity to the external side surface of the structure with the undersurface of the head facing inwardly toward the side surface of the structure, and a plurality of resilient brackets adapted to engage the heads of each of the studs after the shank of each stud has been aflixed to the structure, each of said brackets including a stud engaging portion having a stud receiving slot, spring-like means for retaining the stud in the slot, and support-engaging means extending outwardly from the stud-engaging portion capable of engaging the support to stabilize the sheet metal structure.

5. A fastening system according to claim 4 wherein the stud-receiving slot includes an enlarged portion capable of receiving the head of the stud and a narrow portion connected thereto for receiving the shank of the stud when the bracket is moved laterally with respect to the stud whereby the head will overlie the stud-engaging portion adjacent the narrow portion of the slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,029,445 4/1962 Just 4-187 3,034,142 5/1962 Lyon 4-187 3,034,144 5/1962 Lyon 4187 3,071,780 1/1963 Lyon 4-187 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

C. NUNBERG, Examiner. 

1. A FASTENING SYSTEM FOR STABILIZING A SHEET METAL STRUCTURE WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY AND SUSPENDED FROM AN ADJACENT SUPPORT WHEREIN AN EXTENSION OF THE SHEET METAL STRUCTURE OVERLIES THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE SUPPORT AND THE BODY OF THE STRUCTURE IS SPACED FROM THE SUPPORT COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF SMALL STUDS EACH HAVING A SHANK AND A HEAD AND EACH BEING ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO AN EXTERNAL SIDE SURFACE OF THE SHEET METAL STRUCTURE AT THE END OF THE SHANK REMOTE FROM THE HEAD WITHOUT PERFORATION OF THE STRUCTURE WHEREBY THE HEAD OF EACH STUD WILL BE SPACED FROM BUT LIE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE EXTERNAL SIDE SURFACE OF THE STRUCTURE WITH THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE HEAD FACING INWARDLY TOWARD THE SIDE SURFACE OF THE STRUCTURE, AND A PLURALITY OF RESILIENT BRACKETS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE HEADS OF EACH OF THE STUDS AFTER THE SHANK OF EACH STUD HAS BEEN AFFIXED TO THE STRUCTURE, EACH OF SAID BRACKETS COMPRISING A GENERALLY FLAT BASE PORTION, AN UPWARDLY EMBOSSED PORTION HAVING A STUD-RECEIVING SLOT, SAID SLOT HAVING A PORTION CAPABLE OF RECEIVING THE HEAD OF THE STUD AND A NARROW PORTION CONNECTED THERETO CAPABLE OF RECEIVING THE SHANK OF THE STUD WHEN THE BRACKET IS MOVED LATERALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE STUD WHEREBY THE HEAD WILL OVERLIE PORTIONS OF SAID EMBOSSED PORTION ADJACENT THE NARROW PORTION OF THE SLOT, A STUDLOCKING SPRING FINGER EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE PORTION AND OVERLYING PORTIONS OF SAID SLOT, SAID SPRING FINGER BEING DEFLECTABLE AWAY FROM THE BASE PORTION RESPONSIVE TO THE PASSAGE OF THE HEAD OF THE STUD THROUGH THE SLOT AND BEING POSITIONED TO RETURN TO ITS NORMAL LOCATION TO ENGAGE THE STUD HEAD WHEN THE SHANK OF THE STUD IS SEATED IN THE NARROW PORTION OF THE SLOT WHEREBY SAID STUD IS PREVENTED FROM BECOMING ACCIDENTALLY DISENGAGED FROM THE CLIP, AND SUPPORT-ENGAGING MEANS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE BASE PORTION CAPABLE OF ENGAGING THE SUPPORT TO STABILIZE THE SHEET METAL STRUCTURE. 